Banning Food Waste in Landfills

Hit the Gas, a recent UK study funded by an anaerobic digestion (AD) industry group, discusses ways to create more energy via that process. One of those ways is to divert food waste from landfills to AD plants.

To secure more “feedstock” for AD, the report proposes that the government should “phase out organic waste to landfill by 2020.” It’s a fabulous idea, that will hopefully come true.

Despite being one of six suggestions for government action, the press has really latched onto the ‘landfill ban for food waste’ idea. And so we get headlines like this:

The headlines illustrate just how interested the UK press is in the topic of food waste. A study about how to maximize energy production through anaerobic digestion becomes an article on a potential landfill ban on food.

Compared to the US, where food waste barely scratches the surface, it’s nice to see this abundant attention.